Bear Alternatives

Bear provides flexible writing and note-taking with markdown support and cross-note linking, popular among Mac users for its clean interface. Users seek alternatives primarily due to privacy concerns over its reliance on Apple's ecosystem, cost complaints for plain text functionality, and the availability of better options on Mac.

For users wanting stronger privacy protection, Standard Notes encrypts notes end-to-end across all devices while maintaining markdown support and seamless syncing. Those frustrated by Bear's Apple-only limitations can turn to Obsidian, which offers similar markdown editing and internal linking but works across Windows, Mac, and Linux with a powerful graph view to visualize note connections. Users seeking more advanced knowledge management find Roam Research's graph-based approach superior for linking and visualizing complex note relationships. Trillium Notes handles hierarchical note organization with rich text formatting, making it ideal for complex projects that outgrow Bear's simpler structure.

filter to find the best alternatives

Bear alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows, Android, Linux, Mac and Open Source. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Bear.
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Alternatives list

  1. Tatatap icon
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    Tap is a note-taking service at its core, but it includes tools to organize and collect unique types of information not seen in other note-taking systems. This is accomplished through elements such as Beans (numbers), Formulas, Events, URLs, Todos, and Spells for automation.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
  2. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    IWL is a beautiful Markdown text editor designed to help you write with focus, powered by a suite of intelligent tools that elevate your writing to a professional level.

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
     
  3. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Take notes lightning-fast right inside your browser! It is a unique take on Safe & quick jotting down experience. Must try for everyone who work on laptops / desktop.

    49 Sticky Notes Pro by Ukiv alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once or Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
     
  4. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Encrypted online notepad with real-time autosaving, password protection, rich text formatting, sharing through unique links, downloading, printing, multilingual support, no registration needed, seamless across devices, privacy and safety-focused, ideal for personal notes and collaboration.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
  5. StarNote icon
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    Take notes, annotate PDFs, and stay organized with layers, tags, and flexible templates. Everything comes together on an infinite canvas built for smooth thinking.

    51 StarNote alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android Tablet
    • Android
     
  6. Ballistic icon
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    Designed for software developers, Ballistic helps you organize your thoughts, information, notes and code snippets, so you never have to step outside of your dev workflow.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
  7. Notiq icon
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    Notiq is a privacy-first note-taking app for iPhone that lets you capture voice memos, transcribe speech, write text notes, and scan documents — all securely and completely offline.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
  8. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Quick notes, always available.

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • Apple Watch
    • Apple TV
     
  9. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    NoteDiscovery is a lightweight, self-hosted note-taking application that puts you in complete control of your knowledge base. Write, organize, and discover your notes with a beautiful, modern interface—all running on your own server.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
     
  10. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    TUI-Journal is a terminal-based application written in Rust that allows you to write and manage your journal/notes from within the comfort of your terminal. It provides a simple and efficient interface for creating and organizing your thoughts, ideas, and reflections.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
     
  11. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    This app is the filing cabinet for everything you read online. It saves and organizes everything you read online and organizes it in a simple and retrievable format.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Google Chrome
     
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